Multiradio control interface element in modem

RELATED CASES

This Application is related to application Ser. No. 11/431,541, filed May 11, 2006, entitled “MULTIRADIO CONTROL INTERFACE” and application Ser. No. 11/431,542, filed May 11, 2006, entitled “DISTRIBUTED MULTIRADIO CONTROLLER”, both of which are assigned to Nokia Corporation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for managing multiple radio modems imbedded in a wireless communication device, and more specifically to a multiradio control system for scheduling a plurality of active radio modems so as to avoid communication conflicts.

Description of Prior Art

Modern society has quickly adopted, and become reliant upon, handheld devices for wireless communication. For example, cellular telephones continue to proliferate in the global marketplace due to technological improvements in both the quality of the communication and the functionality of the devices. These wireless communication devices (WCDs) have become commonplace for both personal and business use, allowing users to transmit and receive voice, text and graphical data from a multitude of geographic locations. The communication networks utilized by these devices span different frequencies and cover different transmission distances, each having strengths desirable for various applications.

Cellular networks facilitate WCD communication over large geographic areas. These network technologies have commonly been divided by generations, starting in the late 1970s to early 1980s with first generation (1 G) analog cellular telephones that provided baseline voice communications, to modern digital cellular telephones. GSM is an example of a widely employed 2 G digital cellular network communicating in the 900 MHZ/1.8 GHZ bands in Europe and at 850 MHz and 1.9 GHZ in the United States. This network provides voice communication and also supports the transmission of textual data via the Short Messaging Service (SMS). SMS allows a WCD to transmit and receive text messages of up to 160 characters, while providing data transfer to packet networks, ISDN and POTS users at 9.6 Kbps. The Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), an enhanced messaging system allowing for the transmission of sound, graphics and video files in addition to simple text, has also become available in certain devices. Soon emerging technologies such as Digital Video Broadcasting for Handheld Devices (DVB-H) will make streaming digital video, and other similar content, available via direct transmission to a WCD. While long-range communication networks like GSM are a well-accepted means for transmitting and receiving data, due to cost, traffic and legislative concerns, these networks may not be appropriate for all data applications.

Short-range wireless networks provide communication solutions that avoid some of the problems seen in large cellular networks. Bluetooth™ is an example of a short-range wireless technology quickly gaining acceptance in the marketplace. A Bluetooth™ enabled WCD transmits and receives data at a rate of 720 Kbps within a range of 10 meters, and may transmit up to 100 meters with additional power boosting. A user does not actively instigate a Bluetooth™ network. Instead, a plurality of devices within operating range of each other will automatically form a network group called a “piconet”. Any device may promote itself to the master of the piconet, allowing it to control data exchanges with up to seven “active” slaves and 255 “parked” slaves. Active slaves exchange data based on the clock timing of the master. Parked slaves monitor a beacon signal in order to stay synchronized with the master, and wait for an active slot to become available. These devices continually switch between various active communication and power saving modes in order to transmit data to other piconet members. In addition to Bluetooth™ other popular short-range wireless networks include WLAN (of which “Wi-Fi” local access points communicating in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard, is an example), WUSB, UWB, ZigBee (802.15.4, 802.15.4a), and UHF RFID. All of these wireless mediums have features and advantages that make them appropriate for various applications.

More recently, manufacturers have also begun to incorporate various resources for providing enhanced functionality in WCDs (e.g., components and software for performing close-proximity wireless information exchanges). Sensors and/or scanners may be used to read visual or electronic information into a device. A transaction may involve a user holding their WCD in proximity to a target, aiming their WCD at an object (e.g., to take a picture) or sweeping the device over a printed tag or document. Machine-readable technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), Infra-red (IR) communication, optical character recognition (OCR) and various other types of visual, electronic and magnetic scanning are used to quickly input desired information into the WCD without the need for manual entry by a user.

Device manufacturers are continuing to incorporate as many of the previously indicated exemplary communication features as possible into wireless communication devices in an attempt to bring powerful, “do-all” devices to market. Devices incorporating long-range, short-range and machine readable communication resources also often include multiple mediums for each category. This allows a communication device to flexibly adjust to its surroundings, for example, communicating both with a WLAN access point and a Bluetooth™ communication accessory, possibly at the same time.

Given the large array communications options compiled into one device, it is foreseeable that a user will want to employ a WCD to its full potential when replacing other productivity related devices. For example, a user may use a high powered WCD to replace other traditional, more cumbersome phones, computers, etc. In these situations, a WCD may be communicating simultaneously over numerous different wireless mediums. A user may use multiple peripheral Bluetooth™ devices (e.g., a headset and a keyboard) while having a voice conversation over GSM and interacting with a WLAN access point in order to access an Internet website. Problems may occur when these simultaneous communications cause interference with each other. Even if a communication medium does not have an identical operating frequency as another medium, a radio modem may cause extraneous interference to another medium. Further, it is also possible for the combined effects of two or more simultaneously operating radios to create intermodulation effects to another bandwidth due to harmonic effects. These disturbances may cause errors resulting in the required retransmission of lost packets, and the overall degradation of performance for one or more communication mediums.

The utility of a communication device equipped with the ability to communicate over multiple wireless communication mediums is greatly hindered if these communications can only be employed one at a time. Therefore, what is needed is a system to manage these various communication mediums so that they can function simultaneously with a negligible impact in performance. The system should be able to identify and understand the functionality of each wireless medium, and should be able to quickly react on changing conditions in the environment and control each medium so that interference is minimized.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention includes a terminal, method, computer program, system and chipset for managing the simultaneous operation of a plurality of radio modems embedded in the same wireless communication device. The operations of these radio modems may be directly controlled by a multiradio control system also integrated into the same wireless device.

The multiradio control system (MCS) may include at least one multiradio controller (MRC). The MRC may communicate with each radio modem through either a communication interface common to the general control system of the WCD (common interface), or alternatively, it may utilize a specialized interface dedicated to transactions of the multiradio control system (MCS interface). While the common interface may be used to convey information between the MRC and the radio modems, it may suffer from communication delays due to ordinary traffic in the master control system (e.g., traffic from multiple running applications, user interactions, etc.). However, the MCS interfaces directly couple the MRC and communication resources of the WCD, and may allow the quick transmission of delay sensitive operational information and control commands regardless of master control system traffic. Delay sensitive information may be requested by the MRC, or may be provided by one or more of the plurality of radio modems if a change occurs during operation.

The MRC may use both delay tolerant information received from the common interface system, and delay sensitive information received, in some cases, from the dedicated MCS interface system to control overall communications for the WCD. The MRC monitors active wireless communications to determine if a potential conflict exists. In order to avoid a conflict, the MRC may schedule modems by directly enabling or disabling them for time periods through commands issued to these radio modems. While any or all of these commands may be sent through the common interface system, the MCS interface system, which is dedicated only to conveying delay-sensitive information, may provide a direct route between the MRC and the radio modems that is immune from any communication overhead caused by other transactions in the master control system.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with appended drawings, in which:

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> discloses an exemplary wireless operational environment, including wireless communication mediums of different effective range.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> discloses a modular description of an exemplary wireless communication device usable with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> discloses an exemplary structural description of the wireless communication device previously described in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> discloses an exemplary operational description of a wireless communication device utilizing a wireless communication medium in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> discloses an operational example wherein interference occurs when utilizing multiple radio modems simultaneously within the same wireless communication device.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6A</figref> discloses an exemplary structural description of a wireless communication device including a multiradio controller in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6B</figref> discloses a more detailed structural diagram of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6A</figref> including the multiradio controller and the radio modems.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6C</figref> discloses an exemplary operational description of a wireless communication device including a multiradio controller in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7A</figref> discloses an exemplary structural description of a wireless communication device including a multiradio control system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7B</figref> discloses a more detailed structural diagram of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7A</figref> including the multiradio control system and the radio modems.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7C</figref> discloses an exemplary operational description of a wireless communication device including a multiradio control system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> discloses a more specific example of the functionality described in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7A-7C</figref>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> discloses an exemplary information packet usable with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> discloses exemplary timing diagrams for wireless radio modems usable with the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> discloses a flowchart explaining an exemplary process by which a multiradio controller receives information from a plurality of radio modems in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> discloses a flowchart explaining an exemplary process by which a multiradio controller manages a plurality of radio modems when a potential conflict exists in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While the invention has been described in preferred embodiments, various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as described in the appended claims.

I. Wireless Communication over Different Communication Networks

A WCD may both transmit and receive information over a wide array of wireless communication networks, each with different advantages regarding speed, range, quality (error correction), security (encoding), etc. These characteristics will dictate the amount of information that may be transferred to a receiving device, and the duration of the information transfer. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> includes a diagram of a WCD and how it interacts with various types of wireless networks.

In the example pictured in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, user <b>110</b> possesses WCD <b>100</b>. This device may be anything from a basic cellular handset to a more complex device such as a wirelessly enabled palmtop or laptop computer. Near Field Communications (NFC) <b>130</b> include various transponder-type interactions wherein normally only the scanning device requires its own power source. WCD <b>100</b> scans source <b>120</b> via short-range communications. A transponder in source <b>120</b> may use the energy and/or clock signal contained within the scanning signal, as in the case of RFID communication, to respond with data stored in the transponder. These types of technologies usually have an effective transmission range on the order of ten feet, and may be able to deliver stored data in amounts from 96 bits to over a megabit (or 125 Kbytes) relatively quickly. These features make such technologies well suited for identification purposes, such as to receive an account number for a public transportation provider, a key code for an automatic electronic door lock, an account number for a credit or debit transaction, etc.

The transmission range between two devices may be extended if both devices are capable of performing powered communications. Short-range active communications <b>140</b> includes applications wherein the sending and receiving devices are both active. An exemplary situation would include user <b>110</b> coming within effective transmission range of a Bluetooth™, WLAN, UWB, WUSB, etc. access point. The amount of information to be conveyed is unlimited, except that it must all be transferred in the time when user <b>110</b> is within effective transmission range of the access point. This duration is extremely limited if the user is, for example, strolling through a shopping mall or walking down a street. Due to the higher complexity of these wireless networks, additional time is also required to establish the initial connection to WCD <b>100</b>, which may be increased if there are many devices queued for service in the area proximate to the access point. The effective transmission range of these networks depends on the technology, and may be from 32 ft. to over 300 ft.

Long-range networks <b>150</b> are used to provide virtually uninterrupted communication coverage for WCD <b>100</b>. Land-based radio stations or satellites are used to relay various communications transactions worldwide. While these systems are extremely functional, the use of these systems are often charged on a per-minute basis to user <b>110</b>, not including additional charges for data transfer (e.g., wireless Internet access). Further, the regulations covering these systems cause additional overhead for both the users and providers, making the use of these systems more cumbersome.

In view of the above, it becomes easy to understand the need for a variety of different communication resources combined into a single WCD. Since these types of devices are being used as replacements for a variety of conventional communications means, including land-land telephones, low-functionality cellular handsets, laptops enabled with wireless communications, etc., the devices must be able to easily adapt to a variety of different applications (e.g., voice communications, business programs, GPS, Internet communications, etc.) in a variety of different environments (e.g. office, automobile, outdoors, arenas, shops, etc.)

II. Wireless Communication Device

As previously described, the present invention may be implemented using a variety of wireless communication equipment. Therefore, it is important to understand the communication tools available to user <b>110</b> before exploring the present invention. For example, in the case of a cellular telephone or other handheld wireless devices, the integrated data handling capabilities of the device play an important role in facilitating transactions between the transmitting and receiving devices.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> discloses an exemplary modular layout for a wireless communication device usable with the present invention. WCD <b>100</b> is broken down into modules representing the functional aspects of the device. These functions may be performed by the various combinations of software and/or hardware components discussed below.

Control module <b>210</b> regulates the operation of the device. Inputs may be received from various other modules included within WCD <b>100</b>. For example, interference sensing module <b>220</b> may use various techniques known in the art to sense sources of environmental interference within the effective transmission range of the wireless communication device. Control module <b>210</b> interprets these data inputs, and in response, may issue control commands to the other modules in WCD <b>100</b>.

Communications module <b>230</b> incorporates all of the communications aspects of WCD <b>100</b>. As shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, communications module <b>230</b> may include, for example, long-range communications module <b>232</b>, short-range communications module <b>234</b> and machine-readable data module <b>236</b> (e.g., for NFC). Communications module <b>230</b> utilizes at least these sub-modules to receive a multitude of different types of communication from both local and long distance sources, and to transmit data to recipient devices within the transmission range of WCD <b>100</b>. Communications module <b>230</b> may be triggered by control module <b>210</b>, or by control resources local to the module responding to sensed messages, environmental influences and/or other devices in proximity to WCD <b>100</b>.

User interface module <b>240</b> includes visual, audible and tactile elements which allow the user <b>110</b> to receive data from, and enter data into, the device. The data entered by user <b>110</b> may be interpreted by control module <b>210</b> to affect the behavior of WCD <b>100</b>. User-inputted data may also be transmitted by communications module <b>230</b> to other devices within effective transmission range. Other devices in transmission range may also send information to WCD <b>100</b> via communications module <b>230</b>, and control module <b>210</b> may cause this information to be transferred to user interface module <b>240</b> for presentment to the user.

Applications module <b>250</b> incorporates all other hardware and/or software applications on WCD <b>100</b>. These applications may include sensors, interfaces, utilities, interpreters, data applications, etc., and may be invoked by control module <b>210</b> to read information provided by the various modules and in turn supply information to requesting modules in WCD <b>100</b>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> discloses an exemplary structural layout of WCD <b>100</b> according to an embodiment of the present invention that may be used to implement the functionality of the modular system previously described in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Processor <b>300</b> controls overall device operation. As shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, processor <b>300</b> is coupled to communications sections <b>310</b>, <b>312</b>, <b>320</b> and <b>340</b>. Processor <b>300</b> may be implemented with one or more microprocessors that are each capable of executing software instructions stored in memory <b>330</b>.

Memory <b>330</b> may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), and/or flash memory, and stores information in the form of data and software components (also referred to herein as modules). The data stored by memory <b>330</b> may be associated with particular software components. In addition, this data may be associated with databases, such as a bookmark database or a business database for scheduling, email, etc.

The software components stored by memory <b>330</b> include instructions that can be executed by processor <b>300</b>. Various types of software components may be stored in memory <b>330</b>. For instance, memory <b>330</b> may store software components that control the operation of communication sections <b>310</b>, <b>312</b>, <b>320</b> and <b>340</b>. Memory <b>330</b> may also store software components including a firewall, a service guide manager, a bookmark database, user interface manager, and any communications utilities modules required to support WCD <b>100</b>.

Long-range communications <b>310</b> performs functions related to the exchange of information over large geographic areas (such as cellular networks) via an antenna. These communication methods include technologies from the previously described 1 G to 3 G. In addition to basic voice communications (e.g., via GSM), long-range communications <b>310</b> may operate to establish data communications sessions, such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) sessions and/or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) sessions. Also, long-range communications <b>310</b> may operate to transmit and receive messages, such as short messaging service (SMS) messages and/or multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages. As disclosed in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, Long-range communications <b>310</b> may be composed of one or more subsystems supporting various long-range communications mediums. These subsystems may, for example, be radio modems enabled for various types of long-range wireless communication.

As a subset of long-range communications <b>310</b>, or alternatively operating as an independent module separately connected to processor <b>300</b>, broadcast receivers <b>312</b> allows WCD <b>100</b> to receive transmission messages via mediums such as Analog Radio, Digital Video Broadcast for Handheld Devices (DVB-H), Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), etc. These transmissions may be encoded so that only certain designated receiving devices may access the transmission content, and may contain text, audio or video information. In at least one example, WCD <b>100</b> may receive these transmissions and use information contained within the transmission signal to determine if the device is permitted to view the received content. As in the case of long-range communications <b>310</b>, broadcast receivers <b>312</b> may be comprised of one or more radio modems utilized to receive a variety of broadcast information.

Short-range communications <b>320</b> is responsible for functions involving the exchange of information across short-range wireless networks. As described above and depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, examples of such short-range communications <b>320</b> are not limited to Bluetooth™, WLAN, UWB, Zigbee, UHF RFID, and Wireless USB connections. Accordingly, short-range communications <b>320</b> performs functions related to the establishment of short-range connections, as well as processing related to the transmission and reception of information via such connections. Short-range communications <b>320</b> may be composed of one or more subsystem made up of, for example, various radio modems employed to communicate via the previously indicated assortment of short range wireless mediums.

Short-range input device <b>340</b>, also depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, may provide functionality related to the short-range scanning of machine-readable data (e.g., for NFC). For example, processor <b>300</b> may control short-range input device <b>340</b> to generate RF signals for activating an RFID transponder, and may in turn control the reception of signals from an RFID transponder. Other short-range scanning methods for reading machine-readable data that may be supported by the short-range input device <b>340</b> are not limited to IR communications, linear and 2-D (e.g., QR) bar code readers (including processes related to interpreting UPC labels), and optical character recognition devices for reading magnetic, UV, conductive or other types of coded data that may be provided in a tag using suitable ink. In order for the short-range input device <b>340</b> to scan the aforementioned types of machine-readable data, the input device may include a multitude of optical detectors, magnetic detectors, CCDs or other sensors known in the art for interpreting machine-readable information.

As further shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, user interface <b>350</b> is also coupled to processor <b>300</b>. User interface <b>350</b> facilitates the exchange of information with a user. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> shows that user interface <b>350</b> includes a user input <b>360</b> and a user output <b>370</b>. User input <b>360</b> may include one or more components that allow a user to input information. Examples of such components include keypads, touch screens, and microphones. User output <b>370</b> allows a user to receive information from the device. Thus, user output portion <b>370</b> may include various components, such as a display, light emitting diodes (LED), tactile emitters and one or more audio speakers. Exemplary displays include liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and other video displays.

WCD <b>100</b> may also include one or more transponders <b>380</b>. This is essentially a passive device which may be programmed by processor <b>300</b> with information to be delivered in response to a scan from an outside source. For example, an RFID scanner mounted in a entryway may continuously emit radio frequency waves. When a person with a device containing transponder <b>380</b> walks through the door, the transponder is energized and may respond with information identifying the device, the person, etc.

Hardware corresponding to communications sections <b>310</b>, <b>312</b>, <b>320</b> and <b>340</b> provide for the transmission and reception of signals. Accordingly, these portions may include components (e.g., electronics) that perform functions, such as modulation, demodulation, amplification, and filtering. These portions may be locally controlled, or controlled by processor <b>300</b> in accordance with software communications components stored in memory <b>330</b>.

The elements shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> may be constituted and coupled according to various techniques in order to produce the functionality described in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. One such technique involves coupling separate hardware components corresponding to processor <b>300</b>, communications sections <b>310</b>, <b>312</b> and <b>320</b>, memory <b>330</b>, short-range input device <b>340</b>, user interface <b>350</b>, transponder <b>380</b>, etc. through one or more bus interfaces. Alternatively, any and/or all of the individual components may be replaced by an integrated circuit in the form of a programmable logic device, gate array, ASIC, multi-chip module, etc. programmed to replicate the functions of the stand-alone devices. In addition, each of these components is coupled to a power source, such as a removable and/or rechargeable battery (not shown).

The user interface <b>350</b> may interact with a communications utilities software component, also contained in memory <b>330</b>, which provides for the establishment of service sessions using long-range communications <b>310</b> and/or short-range communications <b>320</b>. The communications utilities component may include various routines that allow the reception of services from remote devices according to mediums such as the Wireless Application Medium (WAP), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) variants like Compact HTML (CHTML), etc.

III. Exemplary Operation of a Wireless Communication Device Including Potential Interference Problems Encountered

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> discloses a stack approach to understanding the operation of a WCD. At the top level <b>400</b>, user <b>110</b> interacts with WCD <b>100</b>. The interaction involves user <b>110</b> entering information via user input <b>360</b> and receiving information from user output <b>370</b> in order to activate functionality in application level <b>410</b>. In the application level, programs related to specific functionality within the device interact with both the user and the system level. These programs include applications for visual information (e.g., web browser, DVB-H receiver, etc.), audio information (e.g., cellular telephone, voice mail, conferencing software, DAB or analog radio receiver, etc.), recording information (e.g., digital photography software, word processing, scheduling, etc.) or other information processing. Actions initiated at application level <b>410</b> may require information to be sent from or received into WCD <b>100</b>. In the example of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, data is requested to be sent to a recipient device via Bluetooth™ communication. As a result, application level <b>410</b> may then call resources in the system level to initiate the required processing and routing of data.

System level <b>420</b> processes data requests and routes the data for transmission. Processing may include, for example, calculation, translation, conversion and/or packetizing the data. The information may then be routed to an appropriate communication resource in the service level. If the desired communication resource is active and available in the service level <b>430</b>, the packets may be routed to a radio modem for delivery via wireless transmission. There may be a plurality of modems operating using different wireless mediums. For example, in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, modem <b>4</b> is activated and able to send packets using Bluetooth™ communication. However, a radio modem (as a hardware resource) need not be dedicated only to a specific wireless medium, and may be used for different types of communication depending on the requirements of the wireless medium and the hardware characteristics of the radio modem.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> discloses a situation wherein the above described exemplary operational process may cause more than one radio modem to become active. In this case, WCD <b>100</b> is both transmitting and receiving information via wireless communication over a multitude of mediums. WCD <b>100</b> may be interacting with various secondary devices such as those grouped at <b>500</b>. For example, these devices may include cellular handsets communicating via long-range wireless communication like GSM, wireless headsets communicating via Bluetooth™, Internet access points communicating via WLAN, etc.

Problems may occur when some or all of these communications are carried on simultaneously. As further shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, multiple modems operating simultaneously may cause interference for each other. Such a situation may be encountered when WCD <b>100</b> is communicating with more than one external device (as previously described). In an exemplary extreme case, devices with modems simultaneously communicating via Bluetooth™, WLAN and wireless USB would encounter substantial overlap since all of these wireless mediums operate in the 2.4 GHz band. The interference, shown as an overlapping portion of the fields depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, would cause packets to be lost and the need for retransmission of these lost packets. Retransmission requires that future time slots be used to retransmit lost information, and therefore, overall communications performance will at least be reduced, if the signal is not lost completely. The present invention, in at least one embodiment, seeks to manage such situations where communications are occurring simultaneously so that anticipated interference is minimized or totally avoided, and as a result, both speed and quality are maximized.

IV. A Wireless Communication Device Including a Multiradio Controller

In an attempt to better manage communications in WCD <b>100</b>, an additional controller dedicated to managing wireless communications may be introduced. WCD <b>100</b>, as pictured in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6A</figref>, includes a multiradio controller (MRC) <b>600</b>. MRC <b>600</b> is coupled to the master control system of WCD <b>100</b>. This coupling enables MRC <b>600</b> to communicate with radio modems or other similar devices in communications modules <b>310</b><b>312</b>, <b>320</b> and <b>340</b> via the master operating system of WCD <b>100</b>. While this configuration may in some cases improve overall wireless communications efficiency for WCD <b>100</b>, problems may occur when WCD <b>100</b> becomes busy (e.g., when the control system of WCD <b>100</b> is employed in multitasking many different simultaneous operations, both communications and non-communications related).

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6B</figref> discloses in detail at least one embodiment of WCD <b>100</b>, which may include multiradio controller (MRC) <b>600</b> introduced in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6A</figref>. MRC <b>600</b> includes common interface <b>620</b> by which information may be sent or received through master control system <b>640</b>. Further, each radio modem <b>610</b> or similar communication device <b>630</b>, for example an RFID scanner for scanning machine-readable information, may also include some sort of common interface <b>620</b> for communicating with master control system <b>640</b>. As a result, all information, commands, etc. occurring between radio modems <b>610</b>, similar devices <b>630</b> and MRC <b>600</b> are conveyed by the communications resources of master control system <b>640</b>. The possible effect of sharing communications resources with all the other functional modules within WCD <b>100</b> will be discussed with respect to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6C</figref>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6C</figref> discloses an operational diagram similar to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> including the effect of MRC <b>600</b>. In this system MRC <b>600</b> may receive operational data from the master operating system of WCD <b>100</b>, concerning for example applications running in application level <b>410</b>, and status data from the various radio communication devices in service level <b>430</b>. MRC <b>600</b> may use this information to issue scheduling commands to the communication devices in service level <b>430</b> in an attempt to avoid communication problems. However, problems may occur when the operations of WCD <b>100</b> are fully employed. Since the various applications in application level <b>410</b>, the operating system in system level <b>420</b>, the communications devices in service level <b>430</b> and MRC <b>600</b> must all share the same communications system, delays may occur when all aspects of WCD <b>100</b> are trying to communicate on the common interface system <b>620</b>. As a result, delay sensitive information regarding both communication resource status information and radio modem <b>610</b> control information may become delayed, nullifying any beneficial effect from MRC <b>600</b>. Therefore, a system better able to handle the differentiation and routing of delay sensitive information is required if the beneficial effect of MRC <b>600</b> is to be realized.

V. A Wireless Communication Device Including a Multiradio Control System

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7A</figref> introduces MRC <b>600</b> as part of a multiradio control system (MCS) <b>700</b> in WCD <b>100</b>. MCS <b>700</b> directly links the communications resources of modules <b>310</b>, <b>312</b>, <b>320</b> and <b>340</b> to MRC <b>600</b>. MCS <b>700</b> may provide a dedicated low-traffic communication structure for carrying delay sensitive information both to and from MRC <b>600</b>.

Additional detail is shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7B</figref>. MCS <b>700</b> forms a direct link between MRC <b>600</b> and the communication resources of WCD <b>100</b>. This link may be established by a system of dedicated MCS interfaces <b>710</b> and <b>720</b>. For example, MCS interface <b>720</b> may be coupled to MRC <b>600</b>. MCS Interfaces <b>710</b> may connect radio modems <b>610</b> and other similar communications devices <b>630</b> to MCS <b>700</b> in order to form an information conveyance for allowing delay sensitive information to travel to and from MRC <b>600</b>. In this way, the abilities of MRC <b>600</b> are no longer influenced by the processing load of master control system <b>640</b>. As a result, any information still communicated by master control system <b>640</b> to and from MRC <b>600</b> may be deemed delay tolerant, and therefore, the actual arrival time of this information does not substantially influence system performance. On the other hand, all delay sensitive information is directed to MCS <b>700</b>, and therefore is insulated from the loading of the master control system.

The effect of MCS <b>700</b> is seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7C</figref>. Information may now be received in MRC <b>600</b> from at least two sources. System level <b>420</b> may continue to provide information to MRC <b>600</b> through master control system <b>640</b>. In addition, service level <b>430</b> may specifically provide delay sensitive information conveyed by MCS <b>700</b>. MRC <b>600</b> may distinguish between these two classes of information and act accordingly. Delay tolerant information may include information that typically does not change when a radio modem is actively engaged in communication, such as radio mode information (e.g., GPRS, Bluetooth™, WLAN, etc.), priority information that may be defined by user settings, the specific service the radio is driving (QoS, real time/non real time), etc. Since delay tolerant information changes infrequently, it may be delivered in due course by master control system <b>640</b> of WCD <b>100</b>. Alternatively, delay sensitive (or time sensitive) information includes at least modem operational information that frequently changes during the course of a wireless connection, and therefore, requires immediate update. As a result, delay sensitive information may need to be delivered directly from the plurality of radio modems <b>610</b> through the MCS interfaces <b>710</b> and <b>720</b> to MRC <b>600</b>, and may include radio modem synchronization information. Delay sensitive information may be provided in response to a request by MRC <b>600</b>, or may be delivered as a result of a change in radio modem settings during transmission, such as due to wireless handover or handoff.

As a part of information acquisition services, the MCS interface <b>710</b> needs to send information to MRC <b>600</b> about periodic events of the radio modems <b>610</b>. Using its MCS interface <b>710</b>, the radio modem <b>610</b> may indicate a time instance of a periodic event related to its operation. In practice these instances are times when radio modem <b>610</b> is active and may be preparing to communicate or communicating. Events occurring prior to or during a transmission or reception mode may be used as a time reference (e.g., in case of GSM, the frame edge may be indicated in a modem that is not necessarily transmitting or receiving at that moment, but we know based on the frame clock that the modem is going to transmit [x]ms after the frame clock edge). Basic principle for such timing indications is that the event is periodic in nature. Every incident needs not to be indicated, but the MRC <b>600</b> may calculate intermediate incidents itself. In order for that to be possible, MRC <b>600</b> would also require other relevant information about the event, e.g. periodicity and duration. This information may be either embedded in the indication or MRC <b>600</b> may get it by other means. Most importantly, however, these timing indications need to be such that the MRC <b>600</b> can acquire a radio modem's basic periodicity and timing. The timing of the event may either be in the indication itself, or it may be implicitly defined from the indication information by MRC <b>600</b>.

In general terms these timing indications need to be provided on periodic events like: schedule broadcasts from a base station (typically TDMA/MAC frame boundaries) and own periodic transmission or reception periods (typically Tx/Rx slots). Those notifications need to be issued by the radio modem <b>610</b>: (1) on network entry (i.e. modem acquires network synchrony), (2) on periodic event timing change e.g. due to a handover and (3) as per the policy and configuration settings from MRC <b>600</b>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> discloses a more specific example of the interaction between MRC <b>600</b>, MCS <b>700</b> and a radio modem <b>610</b>. MRC <b>600</b> requires a bi-directional multipoint control interface for each radio under control. In this example, MCS <b>700</b> may be used to (1) Get synchronization information from the radio modem <b>610</b> to MRC <b>600</b>, and (2) Provide radio activity control signals from MRC <b>600</b> to the radio modem <b>610</b> (enable/disable transmission and/or reception). In addition, as previously stated, MCS <b>700</b> may be used to communicate radio parameters that are delay sensitive from a controlling point of view between MRC <b>600</b> and the radio modem <b>610</b>. One example of parameters that may be communicated over MCS <b>700</b> is the packet type based priority information from MRC <b>600</b> to radio modem <b>610</b>. The packet type based priority information can be used, for example, to allow a WLAN modem to transmit acknowledgement type packets even though the radio activity control signal is not allowing the transmission. This packet type based priority information is typically communicated less frequently than the radio activity control signals. MCS interface <b>710</b> can be shared between different radio modems (multipoint) but it cannot be shared with any other functionality that could limit the usage of MCS interface <b>710</b> from latency point of view.

MCS <b>700</b> is used primarily to communicate the enabled/disabled radio activity periods from MRC <b>600</b> to the radio modem <b>610</b> and in turn get synchronization indications from the radio modems back to MRC <b>600</b>. The control signals from MRC <b>600</b> that enable/disable a radio modem <b>610</b> should be built on a modem's periodic events. MRC <b>600</b> gets this information about a radio modem's periodic events from synchronization indications issued by the radio modem <b>610</b>. This kind of event can be, for example, frame clock event in GSM (4.615 ms), slot clock event in BT (625 us) or any multiple of these. A radio modem <b>610</b> may send its synchronization indications when (1) MRC requests it, (2) a radio modem internal time reference is changed (e.g. due to handover or handoff). The latency requirement for the synchronization signal is not critical as long as the delay is constant within a few microseconds. The fixed delays can be taken into account in MRC <b>600</b> scheduling logic.

The radio modem activity control is based on the knowledge of when the active radio modems <b>610</b> are about to transmit (or receive) in the specific connection mode in which the radio modems <b>610</b> are currently operating. The connection mode of a radio modem <b>610</b> is mapped to the time domain operation in MRC <b>600</b>. As an example, for a GSM speech connection, MRC <b>600</b> has knowledge about all traffic patterns of GSM. This means that MRC <b>600</b> recognizes that the speech connection in GSM includes one transmission slot of length 577 μs, followed by an empty slot after which is the reception slot of 577 μs, two empty slots, monitoring (RX on), two empty slots, and then it repeats. Dual transfer mode means two transmission slots, empty slot, reception slot, empty slot, monitoring and two empty slots. When all traffic patterns that are known a priori by the MRC <b>600</b>, it only needs to know when the transmission slot occurs in time to gain knowledge of when GSM radio is active. This information may be obtained with the radio synchronization signal. When the active radio modem <b>610</b> is about to transmit (or receive) it must check every time whether the modem activity control signal from MRC <b>600</b> permits the communication. MRC <b>600</b> is always either allowing or disabling the transmission of one full radio transmission block (e.g. GSM slot).

An example message packet <b>900</b> is disclosed in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>. Example message packet <b>900</b> includes activity pattern information that may be provided by MRC <b>600</b> to radio modems <b>610</b>. The data payload of packet <b>900</b> may include at least Message ID information, allowed/disallowed transmission (Tx) period information, allowed/disallowed reception (Rx) period information, Tx/Rx periodicity (how often the Tx/Rx activities contained in the period information occur), and validity information describing when the activity pattern becomes valid and whether the new activity pattern is replacing or added to the existing one. The data payload of packet <b>900</b>, as shown, may consist of multiple allowed/disallowed periods for transmission or reception (e.g., Tx period 1, 2 . . . ) each containing at least a period start time and a period end time during which radio modem <b>610</b> may either be permitted or prevented from executing a communication activity. The ability to include multiple allowed/disallowed periods into a single message packet <b>900</b> may support MRC <b>600</b> in scheduling radio modem behavior for longer periods of time, which may result in a reduction in message traffic. Further, changes in radio modem <b>610</b> activity patterns may be amended using the validity information in each message packet <b>900</b>.

The modem activity control signal (e.g., packet <b>900</b>) is transmitted by MRC <b>600</b> to a specific radio modem <b>610</b>. The signal may include activity periods for Tx and Rx separately, and the periodicity of the activity for the radio modem <b>610</b>. While the native radio modem clock is the controlling time domain (never overwritten), the time reference utilized in synchronizing the activity periods to current radio modem operation may be based one of at least two standards. In a first example, a transmission period may start after a pre-defined amount of synchronization events have occurred in radio modem <b>610</b>. Alternatively, all timing between radio modem <b>610</b> and MRC <b>600</b> may be standardized around the system clock for MCS <b>700</b>. Advantages and disadvantages exist for both solutions. Using a defined number of modem synchronization events is beneficial because then all timing is closely aligned with the radio modem clock. However, this strategy may be more complicated to implement than basing timing on the system clock. On the other hand, while timing based on the system clock may be easier to implement as a time standard, a conversion to modem clock timing must necessarily be implemented whenever a new activity pattern is put into use in radio modem <b>610</b>.

As stated above, the activity period may be indicated as start and stop times. If there is only one active connection, or if there is no need to schedule the active connections, the modem activity control signal may be set always on allowing the radio modems to operate without restriction. The modem should check whether the transmission or reception is allowed before attempting the actual communication. A resynchronization may be initiated by the radio modem <b>610</b> if the transmission is consecutively blocked. The same happens if a radio modem time reference or connection mode changes. A problem may occur if MRC <b>600</b> runs out of the modem synchronization and starts to apply modem transmission/reception restrictions at the wrong time. Due to this, modem synchronization signals need to be updated periodically. The more wireless connections that are active, the more accurate MRC synchronization information needs to be.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> discloses a pictorial example of timing patterns between various active radio modems. Modems <b>1</b>, <b>2</b> and <b>3</b> all have individual patterns that indicate when a modem is actively transmitting and/or receiving information. One example of a period wherein a possible conflict exists is highlighted in the figure. At this point MRC <b>600</b> may act to control various radio modems <b>610</b> in order to avoid the conflict. If the activity is to be restricted, MRC <b>600</b> configures the modem activity control message so that activity is always denied when radio modem <b>610</b> is not allowed to transmit or receive. The restriction can last either the whole period or just an individual transmission/reception instance. In the latter case, the activity can be allowed for some other transactional instance inside the period and radio modem <b>610</b> can utilize this to transmit (e.g. to attempt retransmission).

Radio modem <b>610</b> can indicate to MRC <b>600</b> the radio activity periods that were blocked due to the modem activity control message. This additional communication can be as a safety procedure to ensure that MRC <b>600</b> is not continuously blocking the communications due to off synchronization conditions. Radio modem <b>610</b> can switch off the transmitter/receiver every time the modem activity control signal is not allowing communication. Because the modem activity control signal is transmitted in advance and it provides information about the allowed and disallowed radio transmission/reception instances in the near future, radio modem <b>610</b> can prepare its operations in advance according to the activity control signal. Inside the validity parameter in the activity control message is a field describing whether the new message is replacing or added to the existing activity periods, thus avoiding the need to communicate the full transmission/reception pattern if only minor modifications are needed to correct the operation of the transmitter/receiver.

A flowchart describing an exemplary process where MRC <b>600</b> requests synchronization information from a radio modem in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref>. In step <b>1102</b>, the application layer of WCD <b>100</b> triggers activation of a communication service. This activation may occur, for instance, due to a manual intervention by user <b>110</b> directly activating the communication service, or may instead be triggered indirectly by an application currently being manipulated by user <b>110</b>. WCD <b>100</b> may then activate the service in step <b>1104</b>. Various subsystems of WCD <b>100</b> are notified of the service activation, including MRC <b>600</b> (step <b>1106</b>) which in turn requests clock synchronization information from radio modem <b>610</b> via MCS <b>700</b> in step <b>1108</b>. The synchronization request remains active until MRC <b>600</b> has received the signal and is synchronized (step <b>1110</b>). In step <b>1112</b>, MRC <b>600</b> monitors for other radio modem activations, wherein a synchronization signal would need to be requested, or for changes in existing modem behavior. A detected change in radio modem behavior, for example during a handover or handoff, would be detected due to radio modem <b>610</b> itself prompting the delivery of synchronization information in step <b>1114</b>, and so new synchronization information is delivered to MRC <b>600</b>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> includes an example of a process wherein MRC <b>600</b> monitors active radio modems and implements scheduling in order to avoid conflicts. In step <b>1202</b>, MRC <b>600</b> monitors a plurality of active radio modems. During this monitoring, MRC <b>700</b> may further recognize that at least some of the plurality of modems are about to act simultaneously which may result in a potential conflict (steps <b>1204</b> and <b>1206</b>). MRC <b>600</b>, which has hierarchical information about the various mediums serviced by the radio modems, may then prioritize the radio modems in order to determine which modems to disable (step <b>1208</b>). In step <b>1210</b>, MRC <b>600</b> transmits disable commands to various modems, essentially pausing the activity of these modems over designated time periods in order to avoid potential conflicts. The optimal timeframe where the decisions of whether radio modem <b>610</b> is allowed to transmit or not, needs to be selected to meet the following three criteria: (1) Constant (up to some limits) delay from the control point to the air interface, (2) It must be possible to affect the transmission of individual packets/slots (whatever is the smallest granularity in air interface), (3) Preferably it should be possible to buffer a few transmission packets to a memory in case the transmission is not instantly allowed. The need to buffer packets depends also on the service the radio modem <b>610</b> is running. In case of a real time service, the buffering can be time sensitive. Further, any disable information transmitted to radio modems <b>610</b> (step <b>1210</b>) may also be transmitted to the master control system in step <b>1212</b> in order to notify of temporary delays due to conflict avoidance, which might otherwise be deemed to be radio modem inoperability. Finally, in step <b>1214</b>, MRC <b>600</b> reactivates all modems once the potential conflict has passed, and resumes monitoring for possible communication conflicts.

The present invention is an improvement over the state of the art. The multipoint control system of the present invention allows a device with a plurality of active radio modems to efficiently manage communications between these modems in order to avoid potential communication conflicts. This scheduling of wireless communication resources allows a wireless communication device to function in a fully enabled mode without experiencing communication quality degradation due to the constant retransmission of lost packets. The result is a fully enabled wireless communication device that satisfies user expectations because interactivity does not suffer as the device is fully deployed in more complex applications.

Accordingly, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in forma and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.